Mobile robot having a humidifier therein

ABSTRACT

A mobile robot capable of humidifying an entire room. The mobile robot comprises a driving part for movably supporting a body and providing a driving force to move the body, a humidifier disposed on the body; and a controller for controlling the driving part.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit 35 U. S. C. § 119(a) of Korean Patent Application No. 2005-15461, filed on Feb. 24, 2005, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a mobile robot having a humidifier therein.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, humidifiers can be classified into centrifugal spray humidifiers, ultrasonic humidifiers, heat humidifiers, and filter evaporative humidifiers according to how water is evaporated.

The centrifugal spray humidifiers spray drawn-in water using a centrifugal force and have the water collide with an inner wall, thereby evaporating the water. The ultrasonic humidifiers transmit an electric signal of a predetermined frequency to a vibrator immersed in water and vibrate the vibrator, thereby evaporating the water. The heat humidifier heat water using a heater or an electrode rod, thereby generating vapor. The filter evaporative humidifiers pass air through a wet filter, thereby evaporating water.

Such humidifiers maintain indoor humidity in appropriate level for a fresh room environment, and mostly are stationary at a predetermined place. The stationary humidifier, however, has a disadvantage that its humidifying effect is limited to an area in proximity to a place where the humidifier is installed, particularly if there is no convection current caused by the humidifier. Therefore, it is difficult to achieve a desired level of humidity in the entire room, and humidifying efficiency deteriorates.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been developed in order to solve the above problems in the related art. Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide a mobile robot having a humidifier to uniformly humidify an entire room.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a mobile robot capable of simultaneously performing cleaning and humidifying operations.

The above aspects are achieved by providing a mobile robot comprising a driving part for movably supporting a body and providing a driving force to move the body, a humidifier disposed on the body, and a controller for controlling the driving part.

The mobile robot may further comprise a humidity sensor detecting an indoor humidity level; and a cover for covering the body. The controller controls a ON/OFF switching of the humidifier according to the humidity level detected by the humidity sensor.

The humidifier comprises a reservoir for containing a fluid, an evaporating module for converting the fluid supplied from the reservoir into vapor and distributing the vapor to the outside; and a connection pipe for connecting the reservoir to the evaporating module to supply the fluid contained in the reservoir to the evaporating module.

The evaporating module comprises an evaporator for converting the fluid into vapor, and a discharge pipe for discharging the vapor to the outside. The reservoir is provided with an injection port for injecting the fluid therethrough, and the injection port and the discharge pipe are exposed to the outside through an injection port hole and a discharge pipe hole formed on a cover for covering the body.

The driving part comprises at least one driving motor controlled by the controller, a pair of driving wheels connected to the driving motor and disposed at opposite sides of the body; a pair of driven wheels connected to the pair of driving wheel to transmit a driving force; and a pair of idle wheels for supporting the body. The reservoir is disposed on the body in such a way that the driving wheels, the driven wheels and the idle wheels are subjected to the same load of the reservoir. A pair of the reservoirs are disposed on opposite sides of the body to be located above the driving wheel, the driven wheels, and the idle wheels.

The mobile robot may further comprise a dust suction part disposed on the body to perform a cleaning operation with respect to a surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above aspects and other advantages of the present invention become apparent by describing an embodiment of the present invention in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing the mobile robot of FIG 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the mobile robot of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the mobile robot of FIG. 1 in an assembled state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLEARY EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, a mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a body 10, a cover 20 covering the body 10, a dust suction part 30, a driving part 40, an upper camera 50, a front camera 52, an obstacle sensor 54, a memory device 60, a transmitting/receiving part 70, a controller 80, and a humidifier 90. An arrow direction I indicates a forwarding direction of the mobile robot cleaner.

The dust suction part 30 is disposed on the body 10 to draw in dust-laden air from a cleaning surface and collect the dust. The dust suction part 30 is used in order for the mobile robot to perform a cleaning operation, and it may employ a well-known dust suction part of a general robot cleaner. For example, the dust suction part 30 comprises a suction motor (not shown), a suction port 31 formed on the body 10, for drawing in dust from a cleaning surface by using a suction force generated by the suction motor, a brush 31 exposed to the outside through the suction port 31 to scrub the dust, and a dust collecting chamber (not shown) for collecting dust drawn in through the suction port.

As shown in FIG. 2, the driving part 40 comprises a pair of driven wheels 41 disposed at front opposite sides of the body 10, a pair of driving wheels 42 disposed at rear opposite sides of the body 10, a pair of driving motors 43 for rotating the pair of driving wheels 42, respectively, a power transmitting member 44 for transmitting a driving force from the driving wheels 42 to the driven wheels 41, and a pair of idle wheels 45 disposed at rear sides of the body 10 for movably supporting the body 10. In this embodiment, the power transmitting member 44 uses a timing belt, but this should not be considered as limiting. The power transmitting member 44 may adopt a gear pulley assembly. Although in this embodiment driving motors 43 are provided in pair, one single driving motor can be applied. Also, the idle wheels 45 can be omitted if the driving wheels 42 and the driven wheels 41 are arranged appropriately to maintain a balance of the mobile robot. Well-known various driving mechanisms are applicable if they activate the mobile robot and maintain the balance of the mobile robot.

The driving part 40 rotates the driving motors 43 independently in a forward direction or a backward direction according to a control signal of the controller 80. A traveling direction is determined by changing RPMs of the respective driving motors 43.

The upper camera 50 is disposed on the body 10 to photograph an upper image and outputs the photographed image to the controller 80. Preferably, the upper camera 50 employs a fisheye lens (not shown). Since the structure of the fish eye lens is disclosed in Korean Patent Publication Nos. 1996-7005245, 1997-48669 and 1994-22112, and the fisheye lenses are manufactured and sold at market by many lens manufactures, its description is omitted.

The front camera 52 is disposed on the body to photograph a front image and outputs the photographed image to the controller 80.

The obstacle sensor 54 is arranged around an edge of the body 10 to transmit signals to the outside and receive reflected signals. The obstacle sensor 54 may use an optic sensor or an ultrasonic sensor. The obstacle sensor 54 may be used to measure a distance to an obstacle or a wall.

The memory device 60 stores the upper image photographed by the upper camera 50, and the controller 80 calculates location information or travel information based on image information stored in the memory device 60.

The transmitting/receiving part 70 sends out data to an external device 72 and transmits signals received from the external device 72 to the controller 80. The external device 72 is generally a wireless relay device (not shown) or a remote controller (not shown) which are enabled to input and output data.

The controller 80 processes the signal received from the transmitting/receiving part 70 and controls the respective parts based on the signals. The mobile robot may further comprise a key input device (not shown) having a plurality of keys for setting functions of the mobile robot. In this case, the controller 80 processes key signals inputted through the key input device.

The controller 80 extracts an image of a location recognition mark, which is installed on a ceiling of a working area, from the upper image photographed by the upper camera 50, and recognizes a location of the mobile robot based on the image of the location recognition mark. The controller 80 controls the respective parts to perform a target work based on location information. Also, the controller 80 controls an ON/OFF switching of the humidifier 90 according to a value inputted from a humidity sensor 97 (see FIG. 3).

The humidifier 90 comprises a pair of reservoirs 91, an evaporating module 93 and a connection pipe 96 for supplying fluid contained in the reservoirs 91 to the evaporating module 93.

The pair of reservoirs 91 contain the fluid to be evaporated and are disposed at opposite sides of the body 10 and above the pairs of wheels 41, 42, and 45 so that the pairs of wheels 41, 42, 45 are subjected to equal load of the reservoirs 91. That is, the reservoirs 91 are disposed on the body 10 in such a way that a center of gravity of the reservoirs 91 is the same as that of the mobile robot. The reservoirs 91 are arranged on the body 10 in various manners if only their arrangements satisfy the condition that the center of gravity is identical to that of the mobile robot. Each reservoir 91 has an injection port 92 through which fluid is injected into the reservoir 19. The injection port 92 is exposed to the outside through an injection port hole 22 formed on the cover 20 so that a user can directly inject the fluid without opening the cover 20. An openable and closable cover 23 is provided at the injection port hole 22.

The evaporating module 93 comprises an evaporator 94 for evaporating the fluid supplied from the reservoirs 91 and a discharge pipe 95 for guiding vapor generated by the evaporator 94 to the outside of the mobile robot. The evaporator 94 is disposed on the body 10 and at a lower position than the reservoir 91 so that the fluid contained in the reservoirs 91 is easily supplied to the evaporator 94. The evaporator 94 adopts well known various humidifying methods such as a centrifugal spray method, an ultrasonic method, a heat method and a filter evaporative method. Since the structure and principle of the evaporator 94 are well-known to those skilled art in the art, detailed description is omitted. The discharge pipe 95 is exposed to the outside through a discharge pipe hole 21 formed on the cover 20.

In this embodiment, two (2) connection pipes 96 are provided to connect the evaporating module 93 to the respective reservoirs 91.

Hereinafter, the operation of the mobile robot having the above construction will now be described.

The controller 80 controls the driving part 40 in order for the mobile robot to travel a working area according to a travel pattern, creates an image map with respect to an upper area based on an image photographed by the upper camera 50, and stores the image map in the memory device 60. Alternatively, when the mobile robot receives a working command from a key input device or an external device 72 in a wireless manner, the mobile robot can be set to create the image map before performing its actual operation.

The controller 80 determines a location of the mobile robot based on the image map created in advance. More specifically, when the controller 80 is inputted with a work request signal from the key input device or the external device 72 in a wireless manner, the controller 80 compares a current image inputted by the upper camera 50 or the upper camera 50 and the front camera 52 with a memorized image map, and thereby determines a current location of the mobile robot. The controller 80 controls the driving part 40 to correspond to a traveling path from the determined current location to a target location. In here, the work request signal includes a signal for cleaning operation, a signal for monitoring operation to be performed by the cameras 50 and 52 and a signal for humidifying operation.

When the mobile robot travels along the traveling path to the target, it calculates a traveling error by use of a traveling distance measured by an encoder and a current location determined by the comparison of a currently-photographed image with a memorized image map, and controls the driving part 40 to compensate for the traveling error and follow the traveling path to the target location.

While the mobile robot travels, the controller 80 activates the dust suction part 30 and the humidifier 90 selectively or simultaneously according to the work request signal.

That is, when a power is supplied from a power source (not shown) provided in the body 10, a dust suction motor (not shown) is driven. By a suction force generated by the driven suction motor, the mobile robot performs a cleaning operation of drawing in dust from a cleaning surface through the suction port 31.

The controller 80 determines whether to humidify based on a value inputted from the humidity sensor 97 and a reference value pre-set in the memory device 60, and the humidifier performs humidifying operation when a humidity level is determined to be low. Under the control of the controller 80, the mobile robot humidifies at the area where a humidity is low, and does not humidify at the area where a humidity is high. Accordingly, the mobile robot can maintain the indoor humidity in a constant level within an entire working area and improve the humidification efficiency. Meanwhile, the humidifying and the cleaning operations are performed simultaneously and separately.

If a user inputs a signal to stop the operation of the driving part 40 through the external device 72, the mobile robot stays at a certain place but may continue cleaning or humidifying operation.

If the user inputs a work stopping command through the external device 72 when the cleaning or the humidifying operation is completed, the controller 80 stops the cleaning or the humidifying operation and returns the mobile robot to an initial location.

As described above, since the humidifier 90 is movable within a room, it can humidify the entire room.

Since the humidifier 90 is mounted in the mobile robot having a cleaning function, an additional humidifier is not required and thus a cost-saving effect is achieved. Also, since the cleaning and the humidifying operations are performed simultaneously, a much fresher living space can be obtained

The foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The description of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. 

1. A mobile robot comprising: a driving part for movably supporting a body and providing a driving force to move the body; a humidifier disposed on the body; and a controller for controlling the driving part.
 2. The mobile robot as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a humidity sensor detecting an indoor humidity level, wherein the controller controls an ON/OFF switching of the humidifier according to the humidity level detected by the humidity sensor.
 3. The mobile robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the humidifier comprises: a reservoir for containing a fluid; and an evaporating module for converting the fluid supplied from the reservoir into vapor and distributing the vapor to the outside.
 4. The mobile robot as claimed in claim 3, wherein the evaporating module comprises: an evaporator for converting the fluid into vapor; and a discharge pipe for discharging the vapor to the outside.
 5. The mobile robot as claimed in claim 4, wherein the reservoir is provided with an injection port for injecting the fluid therethrough, and the injection port and the discharge pipe are exposed to the outside through an injection port hole and a discharge pipe hole formed on a cover for covering the body.
 6. The mobile robot as claimed in claim 5, wherein the driving part comprises: at least one driving motor controlled by the controller; a pair of driving wheels connected to the driving motor and disposed at opposite sides of the body; a pair of driven wheels connected to the pair of driving wheel to transmit a driving force; and a pair of idle wheels for supporting the body, wherein the reservoir is disposed on the body in such a way that the driving wheels, the driven wheels and the idle wheels are subjected to the same load of the reservoir.
 7. The mobile robot as claimed in claim 6, wherein a pair of the reservoirs are disposed on opposite sides of the body to be located above the driving wheel, the driven wheels, and the idle wheels.
 8. The mobile robot as claimed in claim 7, wherein the humidifier further comprise a connection pipe for connecting the reservoir and the evaporator to supply the fluid from the reservoir to the evaporator.
 9. A mobile robot comprising: a driving part for movably supporting a body and providing a driving force to move the body; a humidifier disposed on the body; a humidity sensor for detecting an indoor humidity level; a dust suction part disposed in the body to perform a cleaning operation with respect to a surface; and a controller for controlling the driving of the driving part and an ON/OFF switching of the humidifier according to the indoor humidity level detected by the humidity sensor. 